The mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, has launched a signature campaign for legislation that would oblige foreigners living temporarily in the country to learn Lithuanian, BNS reports. Under the mayor’s proposal, non-EU nationals would have to show proof of at least A2-level proficiency in Lithuanian when renewing their temporary residence permits after…
Latvia’s Freeport of Riga opened the new cruise season on 3 May 2026, Latvijas Avize reports. The port expects to receive altogether 103 cruise liners in 2026, which would be the highest number in the port’s history. The ships would bring no less than 135,000 tourists to Riga, which also would be an all-time record…
Turkey’s ARCA Defense Industry will open an ammunition plant in Estonia’s Ida-Virumaa county, ERR reports. The new factory in Kiviõli will produce various types of ammunition, including artillery ammunition, mortar rounds, rockets, and shells, initially for export only. Estonia’s Defence Ministry said that the facility would begin producing ammunition for the Estonian Defence Forces in…
Estonia ranked highest in the Baltic States on the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index in 2026, BNS reported. Estonia ranked 3rd on the global index of 180 countries and territories surveyed, which was down from 2nd place in 2025. Meanwhile, Lithuania ranked 15th (14th), and Latvia stood in 17th (15th) place. Estonia…
The Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) has proposed raising the country’s minimum monthly wage by at least EUR 55 to EUR 835 in 2027, LETA reports. Currently, Latvia’s minimum wage stands at EUR 780 per month, while the tax-free income threshold is EUR 550 per month. LBAS noted that under government rules, the…
Lithuania’s insurance market totalled EUR 1.73bn in terms of premiums written in 2025, which was up 9.2% from 2024, according to data from the Bank of Lithuania, Baltic News reports. Non-life insurance premiums amounted to EUR 1.339bn (up 10.2%) and life insurance premiums to EUR 391mn (up 5.7%). Insurers paid a total of EUR 927mn…
Estonia’s state-owned postal services provider, Eesti Post (Omniva), generated total revenues of EUR 154.7mn in 2025, which was up EUR 13.3mn (9%) from 2024, ERR reports. Revenue from parcel and courier services amounted to EUR 109.4mn (up 13%), from postal services to EUR 38.6mn (down slightly), and from universal postal services to EUR 7.6mn (down…
Poverty in Lithuania has increased across the country, particularly in remote regions, LRT reports. Nearly 700,000 people are living below the poverty risk threshold. The average poverty level in rural areas is almost twice as high as in cities. In some municipalities, every third resident is living in poverty. Ugne Uzgale, head of strategy and…
The Estonian government has approved legislative amendments to improve the country’s defence against so-called “little green men” and hybdrid attacks, ERR reports. Specifically, the bill would allow the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) to engage in law enforcement activity and NATO allied personnel to participate in countering hybrid threats and ensuring border security under EDF command….